As many wrestling fans are aware, Ric Flair will be going to the WWE Hall of Fame this year. It seems to be fitting that it would be time to step away from the ring on a regular basis as that is the highest honor. As far as his career goes, he is still the only man and probably will remain the only one in history to have ever been the NWA (when it was big), WCW, and WWF World Champion. Though on TV he is touted as a 16-time champion, in reality though he is a 20-time World Champion, 22 if you count the WCW International Title as a World Championship but that's debatable.

I've never been a big Ric Flair fan but I do give him the credit he deserves. He was the face of the NWA and compared greatly to Hulk Hogan due to how big both of them were at the time. He would hold the championship and would seem to have a very strong grip and wanted to be the best in the wrestling world. One of the biggest matches would come later in 1994 against Hulk Hogan, which was a dream match considering at the time the two biggest names going head to head.

Now, he faces himself in a situation competing against Shawn Michaels. This isn't the 1st time the two men have faced off and it probably will be the last. I don't see Flair sticking around much longer and would be best after this bout to retire from the ring on a full-time basis. He's not getting any younger and it just doesn't have that feel of when Flair was at his best. Obviously, his best days are behind him and it really shows. In fact, I've known that for the past few years since he appeared back in late 2001 but didn't really starting wrestling again until 2002.

It's going to be emotional and it's going to be a question of who will win and who should win. Shawn right now is looking to be slowing down as well since his body is aching and it can only last so long before he has to retire. Flair is nearing 60 years old and it's not really very comforting to be in the ring with someone that old. You don't need someone to say they'll wrestle until they die in the middle in the ring though I'm sure that's not going to happen but the mere thought really is scary.

As for the night before Wrestlemania, he shall be inducted but the question is who is going to be the one to do so. My initial guess for that would be Arn Anderson of the 4 Horsemen. It would be fitting considering how they've been in the famous group back in the NWA/WCW days and being the original two that's in the WWE. Ric Flair's career is over but he's going to go out with style.

Learn more about this author, Bruce Bostwick.
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